Anthurium plant named ‘Red Miracle’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant named ‘Red Miracle’, characterized by its upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; dark green leaves; dark red-colored spathes with dark purplish red-colored spadices that are positioned upright and beyond the foliage on strong and erect scapes; and good inflorenscence longevity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAnthurium plant, botanically known as Anthurium andreanum, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Red Miracle’.

The new Anthurium is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Schipluiden, The Netherlands. The objective of theprogram is to create and develop new freely flowering Anthuriumcultivars that have strong roots, dark green leaves, attractive spathecolor, and good inflorescence longevity.

The new Anthurium is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of theAnthurium andreanum cultivar Leny, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.10,272. The new Anthurium was discovered and selected by the Inventor asa single plant within a population of plants of the cultivar Leny in acontrolled environment in Schipluiden, The Netherlands in September,1998. The new Anthurium was selected on the basis of its thick petiolesand spadices.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by tissue culture in alaboratory in Belgium has shown that the unique features of this newAnthurium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual propagation.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Anthurium has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however,any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of the cultivar Red Miracle. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Red Miracle’ as a new anddistinct cultivar:

1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Dark green leaves.

3. Dark red-colored spathes with dark purplish red-colored spadices thatare positioned upright and beyond the foliage on strong and erectscapes.

4. Freely flowering habit.

5. Good inflorescence longevity.

The new Anthurium can be compared to the parent, the cultivar Leny. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Schipluiden, The Netherlands,plants of the new Anthurium differ from plants of the cultivar Leny inthe following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Anthurium have longer and narrower leaves thanplants of the cultivar Leny.

2. Plants of the new Anthurium have thicker petioles than plants of thecultivar Leny.

3. Plants of the new Anthurium have thicker spadices than plants of thecultivar Leny.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Anthurium, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Anthurium.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical potted plant of the cultivar Red Miracle that was about threeyears old.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet comprises a close-up viewof a typical inflorescence of ‘Red Miracle’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet comprises a close-upview of a typical leaf of ‘Red Miracle’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe 3-year old plants grown in 19-cm containers inSchipluiden, The Netherlands, in a glass greenhouse with an average daytemperature of 25° C. and an average night temperature of 19° C.

Botanical classification: Anthurium andreanum cultivar Red Miracle.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Anthuriumandreanum cultivar Leny, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,272.

Propagation:

Method.—By tissue culture.

Time to develop roots on a tissue-cultured cutting.—About 70 or 84 daysat 24° C. or 21° C., respectively.

Root description.—Strong fleshy roots.

Plant description:

Plant shape.—Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading, invertedtriangle, symmetrical.

Growth habit.—Freely clumping, bushy and dense. Appropriate for 13 to35-cm containers. Vigorous.

Plant height.—About 70 to 95 cm.

Crop time.—About 10 months are usually required from planting of youngplants to finished plants in a 17-cm container.

Foliage description.—Quantity per plant: About 70 to 80. Length: About19 to 35 cm. Width: About 11 to 18 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex: Apiculate.Base: Auriculate; lobes not overlapping. Margin: Entire. Texture:Smooth, glabrous, leathery. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Youngleaves, upper surface: 147A. Young leaves, lower surface: 147B to 147C.Mature leaves, upper surface: 137A to 147A; venation, 146B. Matureleaves, lower surface: 144B to 146D; venation, 146C. Petiole: Length:About 25 to 55 cm. Color: 146C. Geniculum length: About 2 to 3 cm.Geniculum color: 146C.

Inflorescence description:

Inflorescence arrangement.—Spathes with spadices held beyond thefoliage. Flowering structures arise from leaf axils. Freely andcontinuous flowering year-round; typically more than 30 inflorescencesper plant.

Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about six weeks underwinter conditions and about three months under summer conditions;persistent.

Spathe.—Length: About 9 to 14 cm. Width: About 8 to 12 cm. Shape:Cordate. Apex: Apiculate to mucronulate. Base: Auriculate; lobes notoverlapping. Margin: Entire. Texture: Leathery, glabrous, someblistering. Color: When opening: 53A to 53B, glossy. Opened, frontsurface: 45A, glossy. Opened, back surface: 45B, glossy.

Spadix.—Length: About 7 to 11 cm. Diameter: About 1 to 2 cm. Shape:Columnar. Cross section: Rounded. Longitudinal axis: Erect. Color:Immature: 146D. Mature: 60A.

Flowers.—Quantity per spadix: Numerous, about 400. Shape: Rounded.Diameter: About 2 mm, maximum.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Pollen color: 159B. Gynoecium: Stigmashape: Ovoid.

Scape.—Length: About 43 to 70 cm. Aspect: Strong and erect. Color: 183B.

Seed.—Seed development on plants of the new Anthurium has not beenobserved.

Disease/pest resistance: Under commercial conditions, plants of the newAnthurium have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens or pestscommon to Anthurium.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant named‘Red Miracle’, as illustrated and described.